Is there a minimum overall order setting?

I have been searching the admin area and the FAQs and I cannot find info on this point. I would like my site to be set to not allow checkout below a minimum overal amount. Is this possible in ZC? Thanks in advance.

I can't answer your question about whether or not you can do that. I haven't seen any settings that indicate that you can. Perhaps someone who knows more about Zen cart can answer that for you.

My question to you is: Are you sure you want to do that? Why would you want to do that? Are you selling dollar items with a minimum purchase amount?

Beyond that, you might want to think it over carefully. Customers are funny about being told what they must purchase. Personally, if I went to a site and they wouldn't allow me to purchase only what I wanted without forcing me to buy more, not only would I leave without making a purchase, but I would not return.

As an alternative, you might consider either setting product minimums per product on some of your lower cost items, or raising your prices to make a sale worth your cost involved in doing business.

Remember, any sale is a good sale, and empires are built from pennies. It's never good to risk alienating a potential customer.

boukmn:

I have been searching the admin area and the FAQs and I cannot find info on this point. I would like my site to be set to not allow checkout below a minimum overal amount. Is this possible in ZC? Thanks in advance.
Minimum Order Mod from
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&products_id=599

ScriptJunkie:

My question to you is: Are you sure you want to do that? Why would you want to do that? Are you selling dollar items with a minimum purchase amount?

Beyond that, you might want to think it over carefully. Customers are funny about being told what they must purchase. Personally, if I went to a site and they wouldn't allow me to purchase only what I wanted without forcing me to buy more, not only would I leave without making a purchase, but I would not return.

As an alternative, you might consider either setting product minimums per product on some of your lower cost items, or raising your prices to make a sale worth your cost involved in doing business.

Remember, any sale is a good sale, and empires are built from pennies. It's never good to risk alienating a potential customer.

I follow your reasoning. And some items I use the minimum item feture. However, that might be a great strategy for a different business but not in my side of the Aquarium hobby :0) You see, I sell live plants, fish and shrimp for a subset of the aquarium hobby that focuses on growing bonzai-like gardens in aquariums. Individual live plants may cost as little as $0.60 yet the packaging and handling to ship them is costly (think cold pack, foam insulation, sorting and you get the picture). Forcing mandatory minimums on every item narrows customer base. It would be fine if everyone started out with a 100 gal aquarium and would buy 12 orders each of 50 different plants but they don't.

Having an overall minimum order amount is accepted in our world so we don't lose money spending $6 in labour for packing $5 in plants. In my case, my min order for my old site was $25. If I raised the price on all my items, I would be selling the most expensive plants compared to competitors.

That makes sense - it would unfortunate to lose money because your costs are more than your products. I'm glad that Misty posted a link to a Mod that serves your purpose. Hopefully that will resolve it for you :smile:

I probably should have minded my own business and let you mind your's, especially since I know nothing about it <grin>, but your post got my curiosity up so I wanted to ask. Hope I didn't offend :smile:

ScriptJunkie:

That makes sense - it would unfortunate to lose money because your costs are more than your products. I'm glad that Misty posted a link to a Mod that serves your purpose. Hopefully that will resolve it for you :smile:

I probably should have minded my own business and let you mind your's, especially since I know nothing about it <grin>, but your post got my curiosity up so I wanted to ask. Hope I didn't offend :smile:

Not at all!:smile: I enjoy sharing aspects of my business with other Zeners and hearing their perspectives. I welcome criticisims of my new site and approach.
floridadriftwood.com Yes, I know the black background is too much. As soon as I figure out how to frame it properly I'll change it. I am really new to all this and the assistance here has been invaluable. I am now in the process of figuring out how to install the mod Misty posted (Thanks, Misty) but first, I gotta fig out how to backup!

I just found out its a violation of Visa's t.O.S. to impose a min order amount. Looks like I'll have to use other ZC features to comply with visa. Bummer....

boukmn:

I just found out its a violation of Visa's t.O.S. to impose a min order amount. Looks like I'll have to use other ZC features to comply with visa. Bummer....

I could be very wrong, but I think CC companies forbid you to place a minimum for CC orders vs. cash. If your policy applies to other payment equally you are not in violation.

A lot of these TOS are BS anyway. There forbid a surcharge for CC, but a discount for cash is OK. (Yeah that makes a lot of sense.:shocking:)

I'd like to send out an email offering 10% off orders $25 or more. It would seem that the Minimum order mod in this thread would prohibit ANY sales below a certain minimum. I don't want to lose small sales, but would like to offer this type of discount.

Is there a way to do this?